Behind the Counter, Caught in the Frame
by vivianmagic
Summary: Ronald just began his new job at a coffee shop. Owner Alan seems like a nice guy, but he has something to say about two of his regular costumers...
1. Day 1

(Disclaimer: I don't own any character.)

 _ **Day 1**_

Getting a summer job at a coffee shop was not exactly what Ronald Knox wanted, but at this point he'd do anything to not have to mow lawns for a living. If he had to do anything on a lawn, he'd prefer getting drunk.

Plus, this new job at the coffee shop doesn't look too bad.

"You'll do fine, Ronald." Alan comforted the blond in his ever-so-calming voice, "I've told you everything you need to know. I'm sure you are more than ready."

Ronald smiled nervously at the friendly owner of _Fragrant Frames_ , "Weren't you nervous when you first opened this place?"

"Oh don't mention it, I barely slept for two full weeks. But Pops helped me a great deal. He likes you, I can tell."

Ronald joked, "If he really likes me, why won't he hire me to work in Reaper Tools instead?" He looked across the street at the tall office building that belonged to the garden tool manufacturing giant, "It's not like I'm asking a lot…"

"Pops is the most generous man I know." Alan said, "Without his support this coffee house wouldn't exist."

"Is that why you have a painting of him on the wall?" Ronald chuckled, pointing at the stern looking old man staring down at the empty tables.

Alan blushed, "Well, if you really want to work for him instead, a lot of our customers are his employees, I'm sure you can befriend someone who would appreciate your talent."

"I was just joking, Alan." Ronald gave his bashful boss a reassuring smile, "This job is a refreshing start for me. I wouldn't want it any other way." He wondered why he had the guts to call his employer by name on his first day. Maybe it was because Alan made him comfortable enough to do it, but either way, he was ready to embark his journey of standing behind a counter for 3 months straight.

A few minutes after Alan flipped the "OPEN" sign, the doorbell rang violently as their first customer of the day dashed in, "Alan dear, get me a-oh," the clicking red heels paused, "a new face."

Alan beamed at the sight of their guest, "Good morning, Grell. This Ronald, he's starting today. Ronald, meet my loyal customer and friend."

"Um, good morning, Miss, uh-"

"Sutcliff." Grell stared at him rather judgingly from behind her red frames, "But you can call me Grell." a toothy grin spread across her face, "A medium caffè mocha please, _Ron_."

Ronald's eyes had already lost focus in Grell's waterfall of crimson locks before he snapped back to reality, "Mocha, yes, I'm on it."

"Why, isn't he adorable?" while Ronald was busying himself with preparing the drink, Grell whispered to Alan, "And I see you have finally decided to hire someone. Tired of being single at last, m'dear?"

Alan's face instantly turned red like a traffic light, "Wh-what are you talking about! I'm not, Ronald is, um-"

"Oh of course I'm not implying that you want to hit on him! Brats like that are out of our league anyway." Grell giggled, "I'm just saying, it's nice to have him share some of your work. You deserve more time to yourself, y'know? It's already hard to find good men at this corner of London. If all you ever do is work then you'll die a lonely maiden and as your friend, I would hate to see that happen to you."

"Don't exaggerate, Grell. I'm doing fine." Alan retorted, still blushing slightly.

"Do you want me to hook you up with someone? You know I have exceptional taste in men."

"You aren't listening, are you, Grell?"

Pretending he heard none of that, Ronald turned to the pair and said, "Your mocha is ready, Miss Sut-I mean, Grell." he almost bit his tongue when he was met with Grell's naturally alluring gaze.

Grell accepted the drink with a cunning smile on her face, "Why so flustered, Ron? Is my aura warming you up?"

Alan almost burst into laughter but he maintained his composure before patting Ronald on the shoulder and slipped into the back, "I'll be in my office if you need me. Good luck."

Realizing that his captain had just abandoned him, Ronald blinked cluelessly before answering, "It's nice meeting you, Grell." That reply was so plain and awkward, he almost wanted to dig a hole on the floor and hide himself in it.

Grell winked at the boy, "Same here." However, the moment she finished her sentence, as if something was caught in the corner of her eye, she suddenly straightened up and dumped a note on the counter, "Whatever he orders, it's on me." before skipping to the corner of the coffee shop and hiding her face behind a leaflet on the table.

Baffled by her bizarre actions, Ronald looked up to find a suited man entering with a briefcase. His hair so meticulously groomed and his suit so sharp, Ronald wondered at first sight if he were a model of some sort.

"Espresso." his order was brief and his voice monotonic, but before he even reached for the wallet, Ronald stopped him.

"Sir, your drink has been paid for."

The bespectacled man stared at the youngster in confusion, "I'm sorry, I don't under-" somehow Ronald's unstable gaze gave away the secret and he turned around to find a redhead hastily hiding under the table.

 _Oops._

The man sighed as he walked towards Grell, "Honestly, this stunt never seems to get old for you, does it?"

Grell came out of her nonexistent hiding and sat straight, obviously flustered, "Not as long as it still works for you." she beamed brightly.

The man frowned, "You don't have to do this."

"You know, Will, there is a very easy way for you to put a stop to the cycle." she pulled a chair next to her, signaling him to sit down.

But the man remained standing, "I'm listening."

"You can just stop coming to this coffee place all together. There are other coffee houses around and you know this is the only one I go to." she explained before carefully sipping her still burning mocha.

The man adjusted his glasses, "Very well, Grell Sutcliff. Now I've asked this before but I will ask you again… How should I return the favour?"

Grell grinned ear to ear, "Buy me lunch, William."

William looked at her for a few more moments before nodding, "Fine, lunch it is. Now get your sketches together. The meeting begins in 15 minutes."

"Yessir." Grell let out a laugh and followed William to the door.

"Sir, your espresso!" Ronald called out when William's hand was on the door, "Don't forget your drink."

"Why, yes." William turned back to pick up his drink, "Thank you." before hitting the street with Grell.

Ronald realized that he forgot to get Grell any changes for the espresso when Alan reemerged, "Did Grell just leave? I heard noises."

"Yeah, with her boyfriend." Ronald answered rather mindlessly.

"Boyfriend?" Alan looked utterly stunned, "What is he like?"

"Nice suit, dark frames, metrosexual kind of guy."

"O you mean William?"

"Yes, William."

Alan chuckled, "Don't let them know you just said that." he warned softly, "They are not a couple."

"No kidding!" Ronald gasped, "I just assumed-"

Alan shook his head.

"Why, but Grell seemed awfully fond of him."

"That is a fact."

"But they are not dating?"

"Nope." Alan sighed.

"But…" Ronald seemed to have trouble wrapping his mind around what just took place before him, "She just bought him a drink and he agreed to take her to lunch and it all sounded like this is a regular occurrence to them."

"It is."

"So William does know what to expect when he comes here!"

"Yep."

"Yet he still comes here all the time despite his outward reluctance?"

Alan closed his eyes, trying to suppress a smile before answering meekly, "Yes, yes to all that."

 _ **T.B.C.**_


	2. Day 3

_**Day 3**_

"Is she an artist?" Ronald asked casually, "She always carries a sketchbook with her."

"She is, in a way." Alan answered, handing Grell's mocha to Ronald, "She works in product design and development - now go give her the coffee without interrupting her train of thoughts."

"Gotcha." Ronald took the cup and walked to Grell's table - the same one she occupied every day where Alan would leave a "reserved" sign around the time she arrived so she wouldn't have to fight for it. "Here's your mocha, Miss-damn it, I mean, Grell." the moment he finished his sentence he prayed that her train of thoughts would not crash into him.

Grell let out a small laugh, "Do I make you uneasy, Ronnie?" she accepted the coffee without a fuss, her left hand rested on the table with a red pencil between her fingers.

"No, not at all." Ronald scratched the back of his head, frantically searching for a new topic in his mind, "What are you drawing?" He leaned closer to check her sketches, "Is that a-"

"Chainsaw." Grell answered, "Are you into gardening, Ronnie?"

"I mowed lawns."

Grell pulled out another sketch from her pile, "I personally find lawn mowers inflexible when it comes to aesthetic improvements. But I won't judge you if you find them appealing."

"You do realize that I didn't mow lawns because I find mowers irresistible, right?" Ronald joked before laying his fingers on Grell's sketch, "Wow, I like the look of this one."

"See? You do like mowers." Grell smirked. "Now go back to work before Alan kills you."

Ronald reluctantly returned to his spot behind the counter, only to ask more questions, "Does she always come here during working hours?"

"From time to time." Alan answered, "She doesn't like working in offices. Too confining, often musty, and extremely unhealthy to the liberal mind, she used to say. So she comes here as often as she could, usually when William is not around."

"Why? Will he punish her if he were?"

Before Alan could explain, their conversation was abruptly cut short by the next customer, and it wasn't until lunch time when Ronald found his answer.

When William walked in, the coffee house was already full of people, but he immediately located Grell in that little table at the corner.

Grell looked up when her name was called, "Will! You're back."

"Yeah, the meeting overran… Have you been here all morning?"

Grell nodded, reaching out for her mocha only to find the cup already empty so she just put it back, "You know I don't like working in the office. Plus you weren't there this morning so there's no point in staying. But before you scold me, I did get some work done." She pushed her sketches forward so William could see them.

"They're all red." he commented dryly.

Grell giggled, "All my prototype designs are drawn in red. If you want another color go bother the graphics department."

"Honestly, I'm not complaining."

Grell cupped her chin with both hands and asked earnestly, "Will you join me for lunch today, William?"

William hesitated for a moment before answering, "Sorry, I have a luncheon meeting on the schedule."

"What about after work?" Grell continued, "Do you want to go grab a drink or-"

"Overtime tonight, I'm afraid." William's reply was hasty, almost deliberately so, as if giving it a second thought would lead to some unfavorable consequences.

"Okay…" Grell gave up, "There are other times, I guess." she lowered her head but couldn't hide the disappointment in her eyes.

William stood there for a moment, as if contemplating whether or not to leave this awkward shared space of silence, before walking towards the counter, "Can I have a medium mocha, please?"

"Sure. Anything for yourself, Sir?"

"No, tha-wait," William stared directly at the boy, "how did you know the mocha was not for myself?"

Ronald instantly broke into cold sweat, "I-I'm sorry, I was only assuming. I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine…" William reassured him, turning his face slightly to the side to capture Grell in the corner of his eye, "I just hope you don't mind her sitting there all day."

"No, not at all." Ronald beamed, "Don't worry about it. We wouldn't have a problem with it even if you joined her." _Damn, why did he even suggest that?!_

To Ronald's relief, William didn't seem to be paying much attention.

Despite his urge to write Grell's name on the cup and make things even more painfully obvious, Ronald safely produced a cup of mocha and gave it to William. He didn't speak again, fearing that another word would give away his charitable intentions.

Grell's eyes lit up when William placed the cup on her table, "Thank you so much, Will. That was awfully sweet of you."

"Sorry about lunch, and the drink."

"Don't worry about it." Grell placed a hand on his arm, "There is always tomorrow."

"I have to go now." William gave a light tap on the back of Grell's hand, "See you later."

"See you, Darling."

Judging from that wide smile on Grell's face, Ronald knew that cup of mocha could sustain her for at least another day.

"Do you think William is telling the truth though?" he quietly asked Alan, who happened to see William exit the shop.

"Truth about what?"

"Overtime. He said he had overtime so he couldn't join Grell for a drink after work."

"He always has overtime." Alan shrugged, "I guess you can't escape that when you work in the executive branch."

Ronald sighed, "Poor Grell." One moment later, he asked, "Alan, do you know that feeling when you wish two people could just, y'know, get it going?"

"You mean like _shipping_?"

"Yeah- _wait_ , how did you even know that term?!"

"Well, thanks to you working here, I now spend much more time on the Internet than I used to. Also, you need to remember clearing your browsing data after you sneak in to use my computer." Alan winked at him and slipped back into his office.

Ronald did not want to talk about the rest of it.

 _ **T.B.C.**_


	3. Day 7

_**Day 7**_

"We need to do something about Alan." Grell muttered after paying for her morning coffee, "He can't go on like this."

Ronald frowned in confusion, "Is something wrong with him?"

" _Of course_ something is wrong!" Grell leaned forward with both hands up to shield her mouth, " The whole point of hiring you is so that he can get more time to mingle! And now you are doing a fine job, he should get out more often but he isn't." She groaned as her mocha was handed to her, "We need to think of something."

"Maybe he wants to stay single…" Ronald suggested, "I mean, no prejudice against the bachelor." he almost bit his tongue in the end, maybe because of how relatable that statement is.

Grell rolled her eyes, "He should at least try something before he decides it's not right for him. We used to go out more often before he got caught up with this coffee shop. Maybe he needs time to get his mind off this place a bit…" her eyes suddenly lit up, "I have an idea." she pulled Ronald's collar and whispered into his ear.

Ronald's eyes widened as a feigned grin emerged on his face, "Are you sure this is appropriate?"

"If he doesn't like it, we'll just stop and nothing will change."

Ronald nodded skeptically, "You sure this won't get me fired?"

"Of course not, he needs you here."

"No, this would make things awkward between us."

"I'll take full responsibility if he got mad."

Ronald still seemed unconvinced, "I don't know, there must be another way to-"

"No, there _isn't_!" Grell exclaimed, "If he won't go out into the world, we will bring the world to him!"

Not wanting to argue with Grell, Ronald finally surrendered, "Fine, but promise to cover for me, alright?"

"I'm a lady of my words."

 **And so they did it.** _(archadianskies tumblr com/post/122156253487/brolininthetardis-this-is-a-coffeeshop-au)_

* * *

"What in the world…" Alan murmured to himself as the third man sneaked his number under the note handed to him, mouthing "call me" with a smug grin.

Grell sat at her usual table, unable to hide her amusement as Alan struggled to maintain a calm smile.

Ronald married himself to the coffee machine for the day, not moving an inch away to risk facing Alan upfront.

At some point this will blow up and he was certain there will be collateral damage, and by collateral damage he meant just him.

Another man entered the shop and approached the counter, "I'd like a cappuccino please and-"

"Please," Alan sighed, "don't tell me you are going to give me your number too."

The man's hand stopped half-way into his pocket as he stared at the grumpy barista, "Wait, I thought…" he slightly gestured towards the door.

Alan's eyes widened, with a loud _"bang"_ he walked out the door and almost immediately came back in with another violent _"bang"_. Instead of the counter, he walked straight up to Grell, who was giggling behind her sketchbook, "What do you think you are doing?!" he tried his best to sound angry but his reddened face made him nowhere near intimidating.

"Well it's not like you've got anything to lose, m'dear."

"I just spent an entire morning giving people weird looks, having no idea this is taking place! They must think I'm playing hard-to-get or flirting with them and-" he covered his face with his hands, "I hate you, Grell."

"Oh don't…" Grell chuckled before draping her arms around the poor barista, "Ronnie conspired with me."

" _Holy…_ " Ronald cursed under his breath - _so much about taking all responsibility_ \- before realizing that the baffled customer was still waiting for his drink. "Sorry sir, what was your order again?"

The man turned to the boy, also just remembering what he was here for, "Um, cappuccino please." he tapped on the counter, "So…this is a prank?"

"A well-intended one, however unseemly it appears." Ronald explained as he prepared the drink, "Sorry, man, I guess it's bad timing."

The taller man shrugged as he watched Alan return to his post with his head down. "Hey, don't worry about it."

Alan groaned again without saying a word.

The man seemed genuinely concerned about his state of mind, so he continued, "No hard feelings, I swear. It's my first time coming to this place anyway, I wasn't expecting anything other than…"

"It's fine." Alan muttered as he brushed his bangs aside and looked at the man, "I apologize for my attitude. I hope it didn't offend you."

"No, not at all." the man scratched his chin, laughing, "I guess I can always go to the club by myself tonight."

Their eyes met for a split second and both instantly fell into an awkward silence.

Ronald just stood by, not knowing when would be the appropriate time to give the man his coffee.

The man quickly noticed the boy's dilemma, so he extended his arm and took the cup, "Thank you, lad" he then saluted to Alan with the cup, "And thank you as well. Have a nice day."

Alan bit his lower lip, not knowing what to say until the man's hand was on the door knob, "Wait a second!"

The man swiftly turned around, as if he was pre-programmed to respond to that very call.

"You forgot something." Alan said, trying not to break down in embarrassment again.

The man reach for his wallet, "I thought you already gave me the changes."

"No, it's not that…" Alan explained as the man quietly walked back to him, "You…" his voice was so low it was almost inaudible even to himself, "you forgot to give me your number."

Ronald was deafened by Grell's internal screams vividly displayed on her face.

The man blinked for a second before pulling the prepared note from his pocket, "It's, um, Eric." he let out a small laughter.

Alan pinned a finger on the note, furiously blushing as he whispered, "Thanks."

"Call me maybe." Eric winked at the brunette and left.

Ronald heard him whistle gleefully as he walked down the street.

Grell finally exploded into a joyful mess, "I TOLD YOU!" she ran up to Alan, shaking in excitement, "I was sitting at the back and didn't get a good look at him but he seems hot, is he hot? You have to tell me ALL about it!"

Alan clutched the note in his hand, as if fearing that Grell would get so excited that she might accidentally eat it, "Calm down. I haven't even called him yet…"

Just then, a stern figure entered the coffee shop.

"William!" Grell threw her arms around the man, "Don't you just _LOVE_ to see romance in the air?"

William just stood there, not shrugging Grell off, and frowned, "I…didn't see anything?"

"What a spoilsport." Grell grinned as she backed away to pull at William's askewed tie, "Do you have plans tonight, Darling?"

Still frowning, the bespectacled man answered, "I don't think so."

"Wanna go grab a drink?"

Skillfully holding her wrist up to keep her hand from going further down his neck, William turned to Ronald and said, "You know my regular order."

"Yessir…" Ronald obediently started preparing an espresso as Alan silently sneaked back to his office. Luckily, Grell's attention has been diverted so no one bothered to point out his absence.

"How about we hit the clubs tonight, Will?"

"If only you would refrain yourself from messing with my clothes in public." but he immediately regretted saying that.

Ronald could see remorse pouring down the man's face.

"Oh?" Grell raised an eyebrow, "Does that mean you wouldn't mind it so much if this happened in pri-"

"I get off work at six." William abruptly cut off her sentence, obviously flustered for some reason, "You can find me in my office."

"Great!" Grell pecked her companion on the cheek and dashed out the door, "Got a meeting in 5 minutes. Laters, boys!"

William watched the redhead disappear before letting out a long sigh, "Honestly…"

Ronald bit his lower lip to keep himself from laughing, but the moment he opened his mouth to say "Sir, your espresso is ready" he couldn't hold it anymore and burst out into laughter, almost knocking the freshly made coffee over.

Ever since that day, William has been looking at the youngster in a way that made him break into cold sweat every single time.

 _ **T.B.C.**_


	4. Day 10

_**Day 10**_

When Ronald saw his favorite redhead return to the coffee shop, she didn't look as cheerful as he expected.

"Sick?" he asked tentatively as Grell sneezed into her handkerchief.

"It's just a cold." she sneezed again, "Where's Alan?"

"On the phone with _you-know-who_." Ronald smirked, "I'm sure a wedding invitation is on its way."

Grell chuckled, "He needs to thank us."

"Indeed… By the way, how did Friday go?" the blond asked, reminding her of the much anticipated club night which took place in the previous week.

Grell blinked for a second and muttered, "It was fine." she looked exhausted, both physically and mentally, likely because of the illness but Ronald suspected there was something else.

"What happened?" he asked with great concern.

"Nothing." Grell sniffed.

"No, seriously, what happened?" the boy leaned towards Grell, fingers scratching her sleeve.

Grell stared into the emptiness and answered sternly, "I was serious too. _Nothing_ happened...sadly."

Only then did Ronald begin to understand what might have taken place, or to be exact, what had _not_ taken place. "But, um, he did go out with you, right?"

"He did, just not really enjoying himself. He wouldn't even get any liquor… Who does that?" her sentences were intercepted by occasional coughing , "But I did get a little tipsy later that night so I can't remember too much. And the next morning I had this terrible hangover before I discovered I also had a cold. Did you miss me when I didn't show up for work yesterday?" she asked teasingly.

"Of course I missed you." Ronald handed her a cup of hot chocolate in a rare moment of seriousness, "But why are you here today? You still look very sick."

Grell shook her head," I don't have the luxury of sick leave, unfortunately. Got an important meeting in 2 weeks and no time to waste. My entire year's work is on the line, not another day shall be lost… Plus, however unpersuasive it seems, I am actually recovering, so don't you worry."

Ronald was of course not convinced but he decided not to press further, "Are you going to stay here today?"

Grell shook her head again, "I don't want to litter your nice little coffee shop with used tissue paper. I'll be fine back in my office." she winked at him and turned around, right when William showed up at the door.

For a moment they just stood there, looking at each other in silence.

"Will…" Grell wanted to say something but another loud sneeze interrupted her.

"I heard you called in sick yesterday." William said, "Are you sure you're ready to come back to work?"

"I'm fine." Grell gave him a reassuring smile, "And...sorry about Friday."

William frowned, "Why apologize? You did nothing wrong."

Grell shrugged, "You just...didn't seem to be enjoying yourself all that much."

William put a hand on her arm, as if fearing that she might soon fall over without support, "Honestly, you weren't sober enough to tell, either."

Grell looked up at him with a pouty face, "How nice of you to remind me that I'm a dru-" another sneeze.

"You should probably get some rest." William suggested, "Are you returning to your office now?"

"Yes, of course. You don't have to remind me. We haven't got a second to lose." she took his hand in hers and leaned closer, only to back away immediately and cover her mouth, "Sorry, I don't want to give you the cold."

William didn't move, but he looked slightly upset when she withdrew, "Hm, no, don't worry…" he opened the door for her, "Take care."

"Thanks, Darling." Grell blew him a weak kiss and left.

William watched her cross the street and entered the office building before turning back into the shop. The espresso was already waiting for him at the counter. "Thanks…" he paid for the coffee, but didn't pick up the cup.

"Absent yesterday?" Ronald asked, "Didn't see you show up."

"No, I was just…busy."

"It's okay. No need to explain to me." the boy joked, "It's not like you have a point coming here when she's not around anyway." after finishing the sentence, he expected a cold retort from the suited man, but nothing came.

Instead, William seemed rather distracted, "I presume she told you about Friday."

The boy hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly.

"I guess she regretted the decision."

"She didn't say that." Ronald corrected him, "She thinks you didn't enjoy yourself."

"Where did she get that idea?"

Ronald shrugged, "Your refusal of liquor? I mean I'm just quoting her here-"

"Nonsense." Wiliam cut him short, "Honestly, who else does she expect to take her home if I got drunk with her?" he adjusted his glasses, "You didn't attend university with her. You have no idea what kind of trouble she could get herself into."

"Okay…" Ronald wondered if he should carry on with the conversation, but it would look awkward if it ended there, "So...you purposely stayed sober just in case she couldn't go home on her own?"

"What other choice do I have? You can't trust her with a taxi driver… Something might happen to that taxi driver." he looked genuinely concerned about that hypothetical driver, prompting Ronald to imagine the past incident that gave him such fear.

"But why didn't you tell her that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Tell her you refused the drinks because you want to stay sober and take care of her! Because otherwise she thinks you didn't enjoy hanging out with her and that'd make her sad!" when he finally got the words out of his chest, he sighed and pushed the neglected cup of coffee forward, "Sorry. Didn't mean to tell you what you should do with your life."

William was surprised by the barista's sudden burst of emotion, but he didn't seem offended, "It's fine." he picked up the coffee and bid farewell.

The noise they made caught Alan's attention as he emerged from his office, "What's wrong? I heard you argue with someone."

"No, it's just Mr Spears."

"What happened?" the brunette asked, phone still in hand.

Ronald shook his head, "Nothing…"

"By the way, Eric asked if you want cupcakes."

"Sure. Is he coming over later?"

"Yep." Alan blushed, "He will come pick me up for dinner."

"I see - WAIT A SECOND!" Ronald quickly turned around, "I thought _you_ were going to close the shop today."

"He just asked me to dinner. I can't say no!"

"Of course you can! I am totally unprepared to cover the night shift for you!"

"Well, it's not like you have other plans…"

"Your smile is mockingly sincere. I feel betrayed."

Alan widened his eyes, "But you will get cupcakes, _all to yourself_!"

"I did not realize it was a bribe!"

"C'mon, I'll switch shifts with you next time."

"Fine…" Ronald returned to the counter, impatiently tapping on the cashing machine as he mumbled to himself, "Why am I always helping other people get dates?"

* * *

When William go out of the elevator, he had finished his coffee. Just when he was about to throw the empty cup in the bin, he found something scribbled near the bottom. The letters were small, indicating that whoever wrote it did so quite discreetly. He looked closer. It read:

 _When will you tell her?_

 _ **T.B.C**_


	5. Day 18

_**Day 18**_

"Since when do we ever do deliveries?"

"We don't." Alan answered dryly, "Except when it comes to Mr Anderson. Even if he asked us for a drink from our rivaling cafes, we would still buy it and deliver it to him."

"Wait, we have rivaling cafes?"

"It's a metaphor, Ron. Pops gave me a lot of help in running this place. This is the least I can do for him." the brunette handed him two carrier bags, "You should be happy that you finally get to visit them in their natural habitat."

"And by 'them' I think you mean two exotic animals named Grell and William."

"Precisely." Alan smiled, "Say hi to them for me."

"Alright…" the boy grabbed the two bags and went for the door, "Say hi to Eric for me too now that you've successfully got rid of the third wheel."

"Just go do your damn job, Ronald."

* * *

Alan's little calculations aside, Ronald had meant to visit Grell in her studio for some time but just never got around to actually make the trip. He had been working across the street for almost a month now. This seemed like the perfect chance.

The elevator opened on the 4th floor, where Reaper Tools Ltd. was located.

He walked straight up to the receptionist, for obvious reasons as well as reasons he'd rather not explain. "Good morning, Miss-"

"Jasmine." the girl raised her head, "How can I help you, Sir?"

He placed the two bags on the counter, "I believe this is ordered by Mr L. Anderson. Do you know where I should take them to?"

"Yes, one second." the girl quickly dialed a number and after a few exchanges with the other end of the phone, she stood up and pointed to the end of the hallway, "Just leave them in the meeting room over there. There's a lounge right next to it, you can wait there while I find someone to tip you."

"Oh there's no need for that. My boss said we're doing this for free."

"Mr Anderson insists that you take it." Jasmin answered, "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

 _Yes, I want your number._ "No, not right now. Thanks." Ronald dragged the bags off the counter and walked towards the closed meeting room.

 _Are they already having a meeting? Will I interrupt them?_

He knocked on the door. There was no immediate answer so he pushed the unlocked door open -

 ** _VRRRRRRRRRRRRMMMMM!_**

A chainsaw came ramming through the door, almost cutting the boy's face in halves as he frantically backed away.

"Who the fuck opened the door?!" Grell pulled off her headphones and deactivated the chainsaw before finding the boy on the floor, "Oh Ronnie dear! What brought you here?" she put the frightening tool away and helped the boy up. "I hope I didn't scare you…" she smirked.

Ronald squinted at her, "Of course _not_ … Geez, what were you doing in there? And what's with this chainsaw?"

"This baby…" Grell proudly raised the weapon to the level of her eyes, "is what I've been working on all year long. It's still just a prototype, but once it's complete, it'd be the most magnificent thing you've ever seen." she put it down after seeing the boy's baffled expressions, "People like you just wouldn't understand my passion, would you?" she eyed his carrier bags, "Coffee?"

"Yes, for your meeting, I presume?" Ronald remembered what he was there for and went inside the still empty meeting room.

"Too bad I have to be in this lousy meeting. Otherwise I could give you a tour of the place." she suddenly sneaked closer, "Did you flirt with the receptionist?"

"What? No!"

"Well, it's not what Melissa told me."

"I thought her name was Jas-"

" _HA!_ Got you!" Grell laid her chainsaw on the boy's shoulder, "Hitting on the ladies when you're in MY territo-"

"Honestly, save your energy for something else." with a swipe on the tip of the chainsaw, William pulled its blades away from the youngster, and hurried Grell back into the meeting room, "You design garden tools, not murder weapons. Please sit down and act more professionally."

"But no one has arrived yet!" the redhead protested as William forced her into a chair.

"I'd prefer you wait for others to arrive than the reverse. And don't scare people with your prototype, that'd raise a lot of concerns, and I know how much you hate additional safety requirements." he handed Grell a folder and closed the door.

The hallway returned to peace again. Ronald looked around and spot a group of people coming out of the elevator and heading towards his direction. He knew better to not block their way, so he quickly slipped into the lounge as he waited for his tip.

The meeting began without much noise to be heard from the outside, and Ronald soon got bored waiting. He walked around the empty lounge and found a window - curiously located behind one of the cupboards - that allowed him to see across the street.

There was Eric, walking into their little coffee shop.

"I _knew_ he wanted to get rid of me before Eric comes in!" he muttered to himself in triumph. These two are moving faster than he had ever expected, but he can't say he was jealous. Not at all. He was absolutely not jealous. _Definitely not._

He got lost in the street view when someone suddenly burst out of the meeting room and ran right into the lounge. He peeked from behind the shelves to find Grell throwing herself on the couch, grunting something he couldn't quite make out. Somehow, he decided to remain hidden, not wanting to appear like a creep although he was in fact watching someone in secret.

William soon entered the room after her, shutting the door behind him, "Do you have any idea what you have just done?" his eyes were cold and his voice kept low. Ronald had never seen him like this before and it almost scared him.

"Leave me alone!" Grell yelled, "They don't need me there anyway."

"You need to learn to control your temper, Grell."

"I'd like to see _you_ try if your entire year's work just got flushed down the toilet! Did you even see how they dismissed my designs? And Angie, well, FUCK HER!"

"Watch your mouth!"

"She said she would support my designs, but she flipped the moment that damn kid raised an eyebrow! Did you even see the look on her face? Coward! Coward! COWARD!"

William sighed as he walked closer, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Mind move a little so I can sit down?"

Grell inaudibly cursed as she swung her long legs to the other side of the couch, back still facing William.

"As much as I dislike their attitude, you didn't have to throw a tantrum when Pops is around…" William spoke in a low voice, "You put him in a very difficult position…"

"Then go back to the meeting and help him. I don't need your company here." Grell said coldly, her arms crossed on her chest.

"I…" William paused, forgetting why he chased her out in the first place. Now that she mentioned it, it did seem much more reasonable had he just stayed in the meeting room, rather than leaving their boss alone with their hostile guests. "I don't want you to do anything stupid." _Honestly, that was a stupid thing to say._

"Like what? Slaughtering everyone with a chainsaw?" Grell huffed, laying her head on the back of the couch, "I'm fine, Will. You can go if you want to. There's no need to waste your time here with me."

But William just sat there, a bit taken back by the fact that Grell would even suggest that it was a waste of time to be her company. He moved closer to her, his hand almost touching her arm, "I know you put a lot of time in it... I'm sorry about what happened."

Grell shivered at his words, "It's not your fault, Will…" she closed her eyes, "I knew that brat was up to no good. Should have known better to not trust someone this young and pretentious."

"And his demon of an assistant…" William muttered under his breath, "It was a dreadful meeting. I don't blame you."

Grell chuckled at the mention of the man whom-shall-not-be-named, "Are you jealous, Will?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Everyone saw that you were _especially_ mean to him, even though he only repeated the kid's talking points and has no actual say in the deal." she turned around to face him, a small smirk creeping on her face, "Had I not gone mad first, you might be next."

"Well, you always know that I despise that man." William turned away, not looking at her directly.

"Yes, because I casually called him _'Handsome'_ for, like, two times." she lightly punched him on the arm, "Why are you always in denial whenever I call you out?"

William wondered if he should relax a bit now that Grell seemed to be in a better mood. He sank into the couch and took off his glasses to wipe them, "It's not a done deal yet. I'm sure Pops will figure out a way to convince them to accept your designs." awkwardly dodging the question and getting back into business. "I'll try my best as well. Don't worry too much about it."

Grell nodded mindlessly, "What a waste of a perfect seat."

"What seat?"

"Opera." Grell muttered, "I had such high hopes for the meeting, I even promised to take Angie to opera this weekend. Guess that won't be happening…" she sighed.

William stared at the beaten redhead, as if contemplating something.

His silence caught Grell's attention, "What's wrong, Will?"

"Nothing, I was just…" William gazed into the emptiness in front of him, "I, um, don't have plans this weekend."

Grell blinked for a second before widening her eyes at the realization of what he meant, "Will…" she leaned closer, almost whispering against William's ear, "are you asking me to ask you out?" she smirked, breathing warm air down William's chin.

William took a deep breath and backed away a little, "Honestly, if you'd rather go alone, I won't have a prob-"

"Let's go together." Grell smiled, her fingers finding their way up William's legs, "Thank you, Darling." She knew she must have looked like a mess, but that barely noticeable blush on William's face made everything seem fine now.

"It's nothing." William said softly, obviously struggling to keep his composure as Grell crept closer.

"Why won't you look at me, Will?" she asked, one hand slowly turning William's face towards her.

William revolved his shoulders and took Grell's hand in his. His lips were tight shut, for words felt redundant in this situation.

Grell picked up the signal and leaned forward as well, her grin wider than ever but she managed to keep her teeth hidden.

Their lips drew closer to each other and-

 ** _VVVVVVRRRRRIIIIIN!_**

The pair almost jumped off the couch as if they were tasered, and directed their eyes to behind the cupboard.

"HOLY-" Ronald almost fell out of his hiding as he violently answered the unwelcomed call, "YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!" and before poor Alan could even begin talking, the angry youngster had hung up. There he was, leaning against the wall and clutching his phone, having just committed the ultimate crime of spoiling the moment, "I'm so...so sor-"

"Why the hell are you _still_ in here?!" Grell exclaimed, her hands unconsciously clinging onto William's suitcoat, "I thought you were gone!"

"I _WISH_ I was gone too!" the blond got on his feet, but didn't dare move an inch, "I was just waiting here. I didn't mean to watch you or eavesdrop your conversation or creep you out although I'm sure I accomplished all of that…" he covered his face in embarrassment, "I am terribly, terribly sorry, guys. Do whatever you want to me. It's all my fault."

Grell bit her lips to keep herself from laughing before turning back to William, who was now burying his face in the back of the couch, his ears and neck visibly burning up. "Relax, Darling." she leaned against his beating chest, "Why don't you go back to your meeting while I deal with this creep? You can find me in my studio after you finish."

William gave Grell's hand a quick rub, stood up and left too quickly for anyone to capture his facial expressions.

And Ronald was now alone in the lounge with his redheaded friend. He audibly swallowed, not wanting to know what awaited him.

"Well, well, well, what do you say the punishment should be now that you got in the way between my dearest William and I…" she pinched Ronald on the face, 'Should I lock you up in the janitor's closet, strap you to the roof of my car or do you prefer a taste of my…" she made a handle-pulling gesture that reminded Ronald of a certain item she loved.

"Free coffee for a month! On me!"

"Both of us?"

"Yes, both of you!"

"Deal!" Grell patted the boy's cheek and turned around, "I'm sure William would appreciate that offer too." she blew him a kiss and left the room.

Ronald was glad that he was still alive. After what he had seen, it could have been much worse.

* * *

Grell and William didn't show up at the coffee shop that day.

"Do you think they are still mad at me?" Ronald asked timidly.

Alan let out a long sigh, "If it happened to me, I might be upset for a while, of course."

"You are at least partially responsible for this mess too!"

"How could I possibly know you were watching them in secret? Shouldn't you have at least set your phone to vibrate before you do something like that? I'm not a psychic after all."

"I do hope they got to finish their business after the meeting though." Ronald murmured.

"We'll never know." Alan chuckled and left for his movie night with Eric.

The shop was awfully quiet without the usual customers. Ronald also began to feel a little drowsy after a long day when the front door swung open and entered an elderly man. Ronald knew immediately who he was, despite having never been introduced to him. "Mr Anderson!" he greeted, "You've finally come!"

To the boy's surprise, the first thing his distinguished guest asked had absolutely nothing to do with coffee-

"Tell me about what happened today."

* * *

"So that's why…" after hearing Ronald's recount of the morning's events, the old man let out a small laugh, "No wonder they grunted _'not this again'_ when I walked into Grell's studio. I mean, she didn't lock the door so I thought she wouldn't mind me walking in. But apparently it was bad timing."

Ronald almost wanted to hug Pops, but he didn't want to make things weird between them. While he was grateful that the old man made him seem less of a screw-up, he couldn't help but feel bad for a certain couple-to-be.

He wondered if they got their long-deserved kiss after all.

 _ **T.B.C.**_


	6. Day 22

_**Day 22**_

Alan kept his word and finally got around to make up for that shift he abandoned to Ronald with the help of a box of cupcakes. "Any plans tonight? It's a Saturday."

Ronald shook his head in dismay as he hung up his apron, "Nah, date got called off."

"I'm sorry…" Alan turned around, "Do you need a hug?"

Ronald chuckled, "Not when it smells like Eric's deodorant. No offence to you guys, but I can't stand that smell."

Alan giggled before scratching his nose, "Why, I think it smells rather nice."

"I'm sure it does, but not for me." Ronald grabbed the cup of ice tea he made for himself and went for the door, "See you on Monday."

* * *

It was the height of summer and the past few days have seen unusually glorious weather. With the heat sustaining well into the night, Ronald almost felt lucky he didn't have a date so he could just go crash in bed.

Since that eventful coffee delivery, William and Grell did return to the shop as usual, but never together. Ronald wondered why but didn't ask. They seemed awfully busy throughout the week and barely stayed in the shop for any meaningful conversation to take place.

 _But they didn't seem to be in a bad mood, as far as I can tell._ The blond thought to himself as he walked down the block where people were pouring out from a theater. _Damn, just when you thought there were already too many people on the street._ He felt an intrinsic need to stay away from the crowd before spotting two familiar faces.

Yes, familiar faces, even though Ronald could barely recognize them.

"I wish we had box seats." Grell complained, but with a content smile on her face.

"Why? We already had a great view from the center." asked William, holding her hand in his.

"No, I don't mean a view of the stage." She smirked and reached for the red feather pinned to William's breast pocket, "I just hate to share the view of my man with so many pairs of eyes."

William audibly inhaled at Grell's words, "Honestly…"

"Thank you for coming with me, Will." she held more tightly to his hand.

"Don't worry, it was quite…" he turned to look at Grell, "Lovely."

Basking in the adoring stares of her date, the red maiden teased, "Hm...do you mean the play or me?"

William almost rolled his eyes at the question, "Of course I meant the-" but a sudden urge got the better of him when he looked directly into Grell's emerald eyes, and before he knew it, he had leaned forward to quickly peck Grell's lips, "Both."

Grell grasped the opportunity to pull him into a much longer kiss, and it felt even more exciting knowing that they were out in the open, with strangers laying eyes on their unapologetic display of affection.

When their lips eventually broke away, Grell joked as she clung onto William's shoulders, "I think we need to find a dark alleyway."

"Don't say it outloud...honestly."

"I'm serious, William." Grell lightly pinched the back of his neck, "I think someone is watching us."

* * *

Ronald threw himself behind the street corner as soon as Grell looked his way. He had already ruined their intimate moment once and paid his price, there was no way he'd let the same thing happen again.

He nervously took a sip of tea, inwardly gasping at how good they both looked after being liberated from the office dress code. It wasn't a surprise that he always thought they'd both make great models if given the chance, but anyway…

"God, I hope they didn't see me." he peeked from behind the wall to see if they had gone away when a hand suddenly laid on his shoulder. Ronald bolted from the touch and almost fell out of his hiding, "What the-" he paused to find another familiar face under the dim streetlight, "Mr Anderson?"

"Am I too old-fashioned to appreciate the joy of stalking?"

"O no no no, I was not stalking." Ronald frantically explained, "It was pure coincidence. I was on my way home from work and…"

"I was joking, son. Be not afraid." The old man let out a soft laugh, "I, too, was just coming out from a restaurant nearby. I saw you first but it wasn't difficult to see where your eyes were looking."

The two later sat down at a bench across the street, farther away from the lights of the theater, but can still get a glimpse of the lovebirds as they continued to make their way out of the crowd.

"So I guess they're... _that_ now?" Ronald muttered with a raised eyebrow.

"Precision of language, son."

"I mean they are dating now." Ronald answered, unconsciously straightening his spine, "I suspected that they were, but since they stopped coming by together, there was no way to confirm."

Mr Anderson nodded and asked, "So how does it feel to have the confirmation now?"

"It feels as if…" Ronald squeezed into his empty plastic cup, "As if I can write an entire fanfiction for them now."

Mr Anderson frowned at the comparison, "I'm afraid I cannot quite grasp the reference you are making."

"I just mean I'm glad they finally got together."

"How long have you known them, Ron?"

"3 weeks, why?"

"And you already feel so strongly about their relationship?"

Ronald quickly nodded before facing his elderly friend, "You must be too, given how long you've known them."

Mr Anderson only smiled.

By that time, the pair have gone out of their sight. They might have gone onto a taxi, or wandered into a nearby giftshop, or sneaked into a dark alleyway. There was no way of knowing.

"Precious people, aren't they?" Mr Anderson murmured in the end.

Letting out a happy sigh, Ronald responded, "Yeah."

 _ **T.B.C.**_


	7. Day 24

_**Day 24**_

"So which one should I make first, Grell's mocha or William's espresso?"

Alan was caught off guard by the question, "Whoever comes in first? Why should that be a problem?"

"Because it will be." Ronald gestured towards the door as the pair in question entered. Together. Hand in hand.

Alan widened his eyes and whispered, "How in the world did you know this before I do?"

"The benefit of not having a date on Saturday, I guess."

"I thought Grell would at least tell me first if they'd gone this far…"

"Maybe she didn't want to compete with Eric for your limited attention."

"Shut up…"

"But yeah, which one should I make first, Boss?"

Alan snickered, "You are the barista, you decide." before slipping back into the safety of his office.

Left alone behind the counter, Ronald adjusted his frames in anticipation, "Good morning."

 _ **-The End-**_

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_

 **Sorry about the super late update! Thanks for reading and being such lovely readers! 3**

 **Next time~**


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